


Girl Talk

by jebbypal



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-06
Updated: 2005-12-06
Packaged: 2017-10-10 05:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/95766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jebbypal/pseuds/jebbypal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zoe finds time to have a girl talk with Inara</p>
            </blockquote>





	Girl Talk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fleshlycherry](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=fleshlycherry).



They're alone on the ship for once. It doesn't happen often, but Zoe has every intention of making the most of it. "You'll never have him. Not the way you want," she says.

The hurt on Inara's face is plain to see. Zoe stops her before she can make any denials or qualifications. "It's not that you can't try. You might even succeed in a way. But he's never going to be the way you need him to be. And well, it wouldn't even matter if you were." This is the lesson that Zoe has learned in her years with Mal. Once, Inara might have made him happy. Once, Mal would have let someone make him happy.

But not anymore. And the harder someone tries, the more assured the outcome.  
"I know he's hurt, but time," Inara starts to say.

Zoe shakes her head and rises from the table. "No, some things never do heal. More importantly, he doesn't want to, Inara. I won't stop you, I won't say a thing to him. But I can promise you one thing - the only thing assured from this, you'll end up broken too. I know, I've been there."

With that, Zoe retreats. Maybe now she can rest easier and stop feeling guilty every time she sees them share a touch, a look. Zoe did her best for over a year after the Valley to make Mal whole again. Gave everything she had, and then some. The darkness would have taken her too, if she hadn't met Wash.

Maybe she's wrong. She prays she is.


End file.
